The inventors of the present invention have already proposed a heater device for keeping a mouse whose body temperature is decreased due to anesthesia in a normal physiological state in “body temperature keeping device for small animal”, particularly for a mouse (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-51662). The respiratory rate and heart rate of a small animal are not subject to measurement in this heater device.
However, monitoring the respiratory rate and heart rate of an anesthetized animal, in addition to maintaining the body temperature of the animal, in a physiological experiment is essential for determining the physiological state of the animal.
Although there are known technologies for measuring the body temperature or respiratory rate of human beings to keep them in a comfortable state on a carpet used by the human beings, it is necessary to devise measuring methods specific to small animals in order to measure the physiological state of the animals that are much smaller than human beings. Simple and reliable physiological and experimental devices for small animals have not yet been provided.